Beaumont-Port Arthur tied for 10th smoggiest area in America

According to a report done by Environment Texas, the Beaumont-Port Arthur area ranks in the top 10 for smoggiest metropolitan area in the United States.

In fact, seven metro areas in Texas are on the list and researchers found that there were 48 days in 2010 in Texas when at least part of the state experienced smog levels exceeding the national health standard.

Texas Environment said:

The new report ranks cities in Texas and across the country for the numberof days when the air was unhealthy to breathe due to smog pollution lastyear and this summer, and includes new data showing that the problem is evenworse than the public thought. The research shows that on 20 additionaldays last year, residents in Texas were exposed to smog levels that anational scientific panel has found to be dangerous to breathe, but becauseof outdated federal air quality rules, those at risk were never alerted tounhealthy air levels.

With 27 smog days, including one “red-alert” day, Houston ranked sixth amonglarge metropolitan areas in 2010. Fort Worth-Arlington ranked 14th with 15smog days and Dallas ranked 23rd with 12 smog days. The Beaumont-Port Arthurarea tied for 10th place among mid-sized metro areas and Galveston-TexasCity tied for 20th. Among small metro areas, Brazoria tied for 2nd in thenation and Longview-Marshall tied for 7th. The Austin-San Marcos area had 3smog days in 2010. However, thus far in 2011, Austin-San Marcos has alreadyhad eight smog days. One more moderately bad smog day will push the regionin to non-attainment with the Clean Air Act.